Senior staff and councillors have attended a variety of meetings over the past six weeks, including the first official council meeting on Wednesday, February 20.

Last week, chief executive David Leahy and I attended a Municipal Association of Victoria strategic planning meeting in Warracknabeal.

Several councils from the rural North West region took the opportunity to provide local input, which will influence the MAV’s work priorities and inform the development of its 2019-20 strategic work plan.

One of our priorities is to continue lobbying for better digital connectivity in West Wimmera. Edenhope residents are currently benefiting from the progressive roll out of the new National Broadband Network and are due to be connected in the near future.

Telstra has also made great progress in Dergholm, Mosquito Creek and Minimay with the construction of three mobile towers well under way. Residents in these areas will soon be connected to Telstra’s 4GX and 3G mobile services, and this will certainly be an extremely positive step for our region.

The contract for the redevelopment of the Edenhope Hall has been awarded, and we should see things progressing there shortly.

Last week, I attended the Kaniva College badge ceremony, which included junior and senior students along with their families.

It is a wonderful way of acknowledging and welcoming the new prep students to the school. It also recognises the senior students’ level of study, and gave the newly elected student leaders of the college a chance to warm into their new roles.

The long weekend in March will be a big weekend for West Wimmera.

Goroke Apex Club has organised a rodeo at the showgrounds, and a group of former students are busily planning the Edenhope High School Reunion 1959-1993 to coincide with the annual Edenhope Cup.